Thank you El Dorado

Our family of eighteen adults and two babies recently spent five days in El Dorado attending a trial concerning the death of Dee Graham, who was killed in El Dorado by a drunk hit and run driver last April.

Comment

Butler County Times Gazette

Writer

Posted Nov. 15, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Updated Nov 15, 2012 at 2:55 PM

Posted Nov. 15, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Updated Nov 15, 2012 at 2:55 PM

Dear Editor,

Our family of eighteen adults and two babies recently spent five days in El Dorado attending a trial concerning the death of Dee Graham, who was killed in El Dorado by a drunk hit and run driver last April.

We met so many kind and helpful people there. Everyone was so friendly!

We stayed at the El Dorado State Park, a beautiful place with a lot of room to relax after each day at court. When we first arrived, a few of us wanted to watch the presidential debate.

We had no idea where to go, but finally noticed the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital and asked if we could sit in their waiting room to watch. They not only agreed, they offered us coffee!

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Maggie Bautista, a lady who lived in the Walnut River Apartments near where Dee was killed.

She asked a friend to call 911 and she stayed with Dee, held his hand and encouraged him until his pulse was gone. This gave us a great deal of peace and comfort.

We would also commend and thank greatly your El Dorado Police Department, the Butler County court system, and Sheriff Kelly Herzet's department.

We would especially thank El Dorado officers Sam Humig and Travis Pierce, deputies Travis Elder, Kevin Kichler, and Detective Ken Morgan, also State Trooper Aaron McGuire for their many hours of work on this case.

We thank attorneys Brett Sweeny and Alice Burns, who prosecuted the case so well.

We were greatly helped by Katie Barth, victim advocate and MADD representative, and Betty Lou Johnson, assistant to County Attorney's office.

They put us at ease, kept us where we were supposed to be, and helped us to understand court proceedings.

We will always remember El Dorado and its people with pleasure. Thank you so much!

- The family of Dee Graham - Edith Graham (mother) of Swink, Colo. and Sharon Graham (wife) of Pueblo, Colo.